There is a long recognized need for reliability in the manufacture and design of electronic devices. This is not any more evident than in the disc drive industry. The computer industry has adopted standards of +5 Volts DC and +12 Volts DC as nominal voltages for powering disc storage devices. Unexpected disturbances often occur in these nominal voltages during the life time of a disc storage product. The frequency and severity of these disturbances are highly random. They vary widely based on computer power supply capability, local utility quality, climate, operating environment, and other numerous factors. Design of disc storage products must provide a certain amount of immunity to these disturbances in order for the products to survive and provide useful service throughout their useful life.
Since these disturbances are highly random and unpredictable, ability to apply precisely controlled disturbances is very useful in designing disc storage products and diagnosing failures which occur in product applications.
Preventing damage from power disturbances in electronic devices is vital to the success of a product. If damaged from a power disturbance, a highly sensitive electronic device may be impaired from working properly. Some of the problems caused by power disturbances may include hardware malfunctioning, integrated circuits being rendered ineffective, memory being rewritten or lost, software and firmware erased, or data may be lost. If an electronic device is damaged by a power disturbance, the product will probably have to be completely replaced. Thus, there clearly exists a need to test the design capabilities of an electronic device to discern if the device is capable of handling the power disruptions for which it may encounter.
The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.